due to being the only concubine— but even then, Prince Ding never looked at her again until his death. Since Mo Liufang’s passing, she knew there would be no chance for her; all she could ever hope f...Somewind's Nonsense 407. A Desperate Dog

In the early morning, when the Mohist army once again sounded their war drums, the Chu forces were indeed routed. The Mohists hardly expended any effort to break into Liyang City. With almost all of the commanders nowhere to be seen and at least more than half of the soldiers unable to participate in battle, the soldiers on the city walls lost all courage when they saw a man with snow-white hair and a white robe beneath them. In no time at all, eight hundred thousand troops were in utter disarray.

At this moment, Mo Jingli was still clueless inside the governor's residence within the city. This injury had undoubtedly dealt him a massive blow both physically and mentally. Especially when he doubted whether Mo Xiuyao was even still alive, Mo Jingli’s temperament became increasingly unpredictable and moody. With his severe injuries, it made getting out of bed difficult for him, let alone personally commanding troops on the battlefield.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Something’s wrong!" As Mo Jingli once again exploded at a kneeling court physician, hurried footsteps could be heard from outside the door.

Mo Jingli frowned and said unhappily, "Get in here! What is it"

The attendant knelt on the ground, terrified as he cried out, “Your Majesty… The Mohist army has broken through our defenses!”

"What!" Mo Jingli suddenly stood up, immediately contorting his face with a grimace. "How could the Mohist army break in so quickly" It wasn't that Mo Jingli had an inflated sense of self-importance and didn’t believe in the strength of the Mohist troops; it was simply impossible for them to do so when there were eight hundred thousand soldiers stationed in Liyang. Unless all these soldiers simultaneously defected, the Mohists could not possibly break into the city without a sound.

"It's true… Our generals and officers above the rank of deputy commander have all gone missing. And over half of our troops suddenly fell ill. Furthermore… furthermore, it seems someone spotted Prince Ding at the city gate," the attendant who came to report hadn't seen Mo Xiuyao himself, but what he heard from those returning with the message was unclear. After all, a dead prince appearing at the city gates genuinely frightened many people. Most ordinary soldiers found it hard to think of scenarios like an explosion killing the prince; they mostly believed that they had encountered ghosts.

"Mo Xiuyao!" Mo Jingli’s face paled as his hand concealed within his sleeve started trembling involuntarily, “What's going on! Investigate thoroughly for me!” The attendant quaked and said, “Your Majesty… the Mohist army has already broken into the city. We should flee quickly.”

"Flee" Mo Jingli’s eyes were bloodshot, "Where else can I run to now"

The attendant advised, "If you have a mountain, there will always be firewood. Your Majesty, if we return to Jiangnan, we'll surely rise again one day. But if Prince Ding captures us…" The attendant shuddered; as Mo Jingli's confidant, being caught by Prince Ding would certainly mean certain death for him. They had heard quite a bit about Prince Ding’s reputation over the years.

Hearing the attendant's words, Mo Jingli's expression subtly changed as his eyes flickered uncertainly.

The battle was easily won with virtually no casualties on either side. When Ding Wang, dressed in white, landed gracefully at the center of Linyang City’s main street, everyone involuntarily halted their weapons. They heard Mo Xiuyao's voice resound far and wide: "All soldiers of the Great Chu, put down your arms. I will forgive past transgressions."

Some hesitated; these were ordinary soldiers without a commanding officer to lead them, leaving them as scattered sands unsure of what to do next. But the Mo army and Ding Wang’s王府確實每一個土生土長的大楚男人心中最崇敬的所在，有墨家軍守護的大楚曾經的輝煌，也是每一個經曆了大楚戰亂的人心中最深的追憶。很快，有人扔下了手中的兵器。

Once one person did it, others followed suit. Very soon, the sound of weapons hitting the ground echoed throughout the street, and civilians who had been hiding at home came out. The heads of various noble families in Yunzhou led by Chu Shao Ying all greeted Ding Wang together: "Congratulations to Prince Ding!"

"Welcome, Prince Ding! Ten thousand years to Prince Ding!" A cheer erupted from the crowd, quickly sweeping through every corner of Linyang City.

Seeing that what was expected to be a prolonged siege was resolved almost without any losses, all the generals of the Mo army showed relieved smiles. Cold Huai stood by the street and smiled at Lu Jinxian beside him: "Truly, one person can stand against a million soldiers. Under the heavens, who else besides Prince Ding has such prestige"

As an old general of the Mo army, Lu Jinxian felt honored to share in this glory. He nodded and replied with a smile: "General Cold is right; under the heavens, who else could have such prestige except for Prince Ding" Cold Huai smiled calmly. Although the war against Western Ling was still undecided, looking at Ding Wang’s部署便能明白，西陵大軍的好日子隻怕也要結束了。這個天下，除了定王還有誰能夠掌握得主？分離了數百年的天下終於將要在定王府手中再一次統一，一個真正的皇朝盛世即將到來。即使是冷淮這樣的老將也忍不住新生激**起來。

"This Wang is about to lead troops against Western Ling. Any soldiers of the Great Chu who wish to follow this Wang in fighting against Western Ling, please assemble tomorrow to depart with me. Those who do not want to can stay behind in Linyang. After the war ends, you may return south."

"We will follow Prince Ding!"

"Your servant wishes to follow Prince Ding!"

"We swear to follow Prince Ding to our death!

The tottering Great Chu and the rising Ding王府. The incompetent and unpredictable Chu Emperor versus the wise and sagacious Prince of Ding, who uses his soldiers as cannon fodder compared to the loving commander-in-chief Mo Xiuyao—choosing sides is almost a no-brainer.

Moo Xiuyao nodded with satisfaction: "Very well then, all troops within Lianyang City immediately fall under the command of our Moo Family Army."

"We swear to serve Your Excellency to death!"

After instructing Lu Jinxian and Cold River to settle down those newly surrendered Chu soldiers, Mo Xiuyao led his men towards the Prefectural Residence where Mo Jingli was located. Familiar with the way, he entered Mo Jingli's chamber only to find a dead doctor and attendant. The whereabouts of Mo Jingli himself were unknown.

"Mo Jingli has escaped Your Excellency, I will immediately send people out to look for him," Xu Qingfeng said with regret. Before they surrounded the Prefectural Residence, no Kirin guards had been posted at all. Who could have predicted that Mo Jingli would manage to escape under such heavy military encirclement

Moo Xiuyao nodded: "Go ahead, don’t blame yourself. Compared to taking over Lianyang City, Mo Jingli isn't much of a concern." Although it appeared on the surface that they had taken control of Lianyang without spilling any blood, the hidden losses weren't few either. The heartmost bodyguards and secret agents loyal to Mo Jingli, as well as some generals still faithful to him who were previously under his command, all needed to be dealt with swiftly. Moreover, it was unlikely that a king wouldn't have secret agents around him. Although the secret service of the Great Chu Royal Family couldn’t match Moo’s Kirin guards, they weren’t inferior to Lei Zhenting's Golden Robe Guard either. Even if one-on-one combat would prove difficult, escaping with someone else wasn't impossible.

Xu Qingfeng nodded and turned away.

Moo Xiuyao lowered his head to glance at the blood-drenched room, a cold smile curving at the corners of his mouth: "If I were Mo Jingli, I would rather die here… It might be better."

Mo Xiuyao didn't linger in Lianyang because of Mo Jingli's escape. Early the next morning before daybreak, he left with Cold River and He Su and a million troops for Lianyang. Only 200 thousand men were left under Lu Jinxian and Yun Ting to guard all areas east of Lianyang. With Mo Jingli gravely wounded and defeated, it was unlikely that he would be able to stir up trouble in the near future. Even if he recovered from his wounds, Mo Xiuyao had made preparations for him—so much so that it might not even be worth it. Confident in Lu Jinxian's capabilities under a roughly balanced military situation, Moo Xiuyao was at ease.

In a remote courtyard several dozen miles outside of Lianyang City, the atmosphere inside made one shiver despite its appearance from the outside as an ordinary farmyard residence. A few men standing in the courtyard with grim expressions listened to the painful groans coming from inside. In the dim room, Mo Jingli's face was contorted as he stared at a man who had been forced to his knees not far away. The man was covered in blood and bruises, barely alive.

"Tell me how the Moo Family Army managed to enter the city," Mo Jingli asked with a sinister look on his face.

The man shook his head with difficulty, his eyes filled with pleading. He truly did not know how the Mohist army had entered the city, nor why those Chu soldiers had suddenly developed diarrhea after consuming the newly delivered grain. After all, he was just a small escort officer. If he had known that escaping would lead to such suffering, he would have preferred to stay in溧陽as a captive.Upon hearing this, Mo Jingli immediately lost his patience and said sternly, "Throw him out!"

The man was terrified and wanted to beg for mercy, but he could no longer even make a sound. Being thrown out did not mean the torment would end; it meant that his life would come to an abrupt halt. These days, he wasn't the first person to suffer such torture, nor would he be the last. Soon, the man who had been beaten into a bloody mess was dragged outside. No one pitied him; Mo Jingli's mood had become increasingly volatile due to his unhealed injuries these past few days.

A servant-like man cautiously pushed open the door and entered, "Em… Emperor"

"What is it" asked Mo Jingli coldly. Since sustaining such a humiliating injury, he had become especially gloomy. Even his living quarters seemed to have darkened, allowing no light in. The servant had just barely adjusted to the darkness when Mo Jingli's chilling appearance startled him again. Suppressing his fear, the servant whispered, "Your Majesty, Dingwang has subdued all of溧陽’s troops and left for the west with them early this morning."

The dark room was silent for a long time before Mo Jingli slowly but viciously said, “Mo Xiuyao… he took my army to fight against Lei Zhenting”

"Yes, Your Majesty. All 800,000 of the Mohist troops in溧陽have submitted to Dingwang," replied the servant with suppressed voice.

“Rabble! These traitors! I will exterminate their nine generations!” Suddenly, an object flew past the servant's ear and struck something behind him. The servant’s legs gave way as he fell to the ground, "Your Majesty, please calm down; Your Majesty must take care of yourself."

Mo Jingli sneered, staring at the kneeling servant, “Take care You all wish for me to die sooner”

"I dare not… Your Majesty, spare my life!" The man on the ground trembled as he said, "Your Majesty, please calm down. Once we return to Jiangnan and reorganize our troops, we can seek revenge against Dingwang’s family then. Now, with almost all of the northern forces under Dingwang’s control, it's really not advisable for us to stay here."

After venting his anger, Mo Jingli gradually regained some composure and looked at the sweating servant coldly, “Get up.”

The servant knew that he had passed this trial today and breathed a sigh of relief. He quickly thanked the emperor and stood up. His respect seemed to please Mo Jingli greatly; his voice softened as he said, "Prepare for our departure tomorrow morning."

"Yes… yes…"

“Your Majesty, Minister Qiu requests an audience,” a guard reported from outside the door.

Moi Jingli frowned slightly and asked impatiently, “What does he want”

The voice of Minister Qiu was still panting heavily as if he had come urgently. "Your Majesty, I have urgent news to report,"

"Come in."

Vice Minister Qiu pushed the door open and entered, but frowned at the dimness of the room. Before he could say anything, Mo Jingli asked solemnly, "What is it" Vice Minister Qiu took out a folded paper note from his sleeve and said, "Your Majesty, please look at this. I just tore it off from a nearby county town. It's an announcement issued jointly by several prominent families in Yunzhou." Mo Jingli suddenly sat up straight and said, "Chu Shaoying Quickly, bring it here for me to see." A servant took the paper note from Vice Minister Qiu’s hand and presented it while lighting a candle nearby. The two men then clearly saw Mo Jingli's appearance. Due to his severe injuries and several days of anger and grief, Mo Jingli looked extremely pale and gaunt. More importantly, he exuded an incongruous aura. Vice Minister Qiu frowned but dared not look any longer; he was neither a close aide nor a major minister to Mo Jingli, so he didn’t really understand him. Although he knew that something wasn't right with the emperor's condition now, there was no time to worry about it at the moment.

Mo Jingli unfolded the paper note and his slight smile froze on his lips. The notice did not contain the criticisms of Mo Xiuyao and Ding王府’s various offenses or declarations of loyalty as he had thought; instead, they accused him of every wrongdoing imaginable, from poisoning Mo Jingqi to seizing the throne, to abandoning the city and allying with Xiling and Beirong. Everything was described in such detail that it seemed like they witnessed everything firsthand. Sometimes these scholars' pens could be sharper than a sword. Under their quills, Mo Jingli appeared as nothing more than a traitor who killed his emperor and usurped the throne without loyalty or filial piety, disregarding the fate of the entire realm. What made Mo Jingli even angrier was that this notice had already been posted before Mo Jia’s army breached Liyang. The date indicated it was announced the day after Chu Shaoying declared his allegiance to him. All these people who signed their names were precisely those family heads who followed Chu Shaoying in declaring loyalty.

"Chu, Shao, Ying," Mo Jingli gritted his teeth and shot a lightning gaze at Vice Minister Qiu. "Why was there no news before in Liyang" Vice Minister Qiu hurriedly replied, "They were not suitable to release the notice in Liyang initially. It first appeared in a small county town thirty miles away from Liyang. Then it gradually spread outwards but never made it to Liyang. That's why… we…" While speaking, Vice Minister Qiu lowered his head and kept calculating in his mind. Judging by the emperor’s appearance, what was written on this must be true. Although he didn't know about the truth of the two preceding emperors’ deaths, everyone knew that Emperor Jingli had abandoned Chu Capital and fled, then taken back Chu Capital after seizing it from Ding王府 and allied with Beirong and Xiling to launch an attack on Mo Jia’s army. The emperor… was done for…

"Useless! Send out orders to bring me Chu Shaoying's head along with those scoundrels' heads!" Mo Jingli roared.

"Your Majesty… Your Majesty…" A servant nearby protested, "That… might be because Prince Ding left a platoon of two hundred Qilin soldiers in Liyang City. Our people there probably can’t…"

When it rains, it pours. When Mo Jingli thought he was already as unlucky as it gets, even worse misfortunes were still waiting for him. The group didn't wait to tend his injuries and hid their movements while heading south silently. Yet before two days passed, another piece of news spread throughout the land from north to south. Grand Empress Dowager Chu and Nanjing officials deposed Mo Jingli on charges that he murdered both preceding emperors successively and waged war unjustly, causing over a million soldiers to die in vain. They installed Emperor Mengzi, aged 14, son of former emperor Mo Jingqi, as the new emperor. They announced they would reconcile with Ding王府 and jointly attack Xiling together afterwards. Before Mo Jingli could return, Mengzi was enthroned under the support of Grand Empress Dowager Chu and many officials. On his second day on throne, he ordered 300,000 troops to cross Yunlan River towards Xiling. Upon receiving this news, Mo Jingli spat blood and fainted immediately. When he woke up, he screamed wildly and smashed everything in the room to pieces, weakening himself further due to his already grievous injuries. Yet even so, he wouldn't stop, shouting "Mo Xiuyao! Mo Xiuyao! I must kill you! I must kill you!"

Outside the door, Mo Jingli's once high-pitched voice gradually turned piercing and shrill, making the guards outside shiver involuntarily.

In Xiling’s army, Le Tengfeng, who had been dealing with Nan Hou and Murong Shen these days, looked somewhat fatigued. Both Nan Hou and Murong Shen were seasoned generals, so even though Le Tengfeng had a numerical advantage in troops, he hadn’t gained much from their confrontations. These days, both sides could only be seen as stalemating with each side having some victories and losses. Yet the situation didn't proceed as smoothly as his father originally anticipated; Xiling’s army suffered a severe blow upon reaching Feihong Pass, even Le Zhen霆 was badly injured. This unexpected turn of events plunged the morale of Xiling's troops besieging Feihong Pass into low spirits. In stark contrast, since Mo Xiuyao's death, all the soldiers in Feihong Pass donned mourning attire and brimmed with killing intent as they were determined to avenge Prince Ding王府. Such an opposing momentum made it difficult for even the Xiling army, several times larger than its opponent, to capture Feihong Pass easily.

Over these two days, Murong Shen and Nan Hou who used to provoke them daily disappeared without trace. This unexpected change left Le Zhen霆 feeling uneasy and sensing an undercurrent of conspiracy.

"I greet the Crown Prince," a general in military attire entered hurriedly.

Le Tengfeng straightened up and sat up, asking, "General Yang, what’s the rush"

General Yang frowned and said, "Your Highness, I just received news that both Marquis Nan and Mu Cheng's armies withdrew thirty miles last night to set up camp. It seems they don't plan on fighting us for the next few days."

Tengfeng furrowed his brow and asked, "Not planning to fight Could it be they have some new scheme"

It was no wonder Tengfeng suspected them; their side could afford to waste time since their objective with this army was to exhaust Marquis Nan and Mu Cheng here. But the enemy definitely couldn't afford that luxury, given that the Flying Hawk Pass was still surrounded by hundreds of thousands of Western Capital troops. Behind the Flying Hawk Pass lay the headquarters of the Mo Family Army. Marquis Nan and Mu Cheng could not risk it.

General Yang frowned slightly before hesitantly saying, "But subordinate heard that both Marquis Nan and Mu Cheng have left their armies."

"What did you say" Tengfeng rose abruptly and said sternly, "Are they heading back to the Flying Hawk Pass That's impossible. Even if they're escorted by Qilins, we've sealed off all roads leading there; they couldn't return unnoticed." To trap Marquis Nan and Mu Cheng outside of the Flying Hawk Pass, Tengfeng had made great efforts. Without these two formidable generals in their prime, other than Ye Li and Feng Zhiyao at the Flying Hawk Pass, the most capable warrior left was General Yuan Pei, already over seventy years old.

General Yang remained silent for a moment before saying, "But… subordinate sent scouts to investigate, with at least a 50% certainty that these two truly have left their armies." If either Marquis Nan or Marquis Nan were still in the army, the Mo Family Army wouldn't retreat so far; it clearly meant they didn’t want to confront us head-on.

Tengfeng frowned anxiously. "If they haven’t returned to Flying Hawk Pass and are not with their armies, where have they gone No, we must send people to investigate first. In case this is a trap they set up beforehand…"

"Yes, subordinate will comply!" General Yang replied respectfully.

“Your Highness! Your Highness, something terrible has happened!” A hurried footstep sounded outside the large tent.

Tengfeng frowned in displeasure and said, "Come in."

The person outside rushed in, gasping for breath as he reported, "Your Highness… a huge force is advancing towards us from Liyang. According to our scouts' rough estimate, there are at least… seventy or eighty thousand troops!"

"What Mo Jingli has been defeated" General Yang was shocked.

Tengfeng's expression turned solemn. "That can't be right; where could the Mo Family Army get seventy-eight thousand troops" The combined forces of Lihan and Junxian didn’t even reach eighty thousand, let alone after so many battles without any losses or leaving a contingent to guard their homeland. Moreover, it was strictly forbidden by the Mo Family Army to recruit soldiers on the battlefield; they couldn't possibly have such numbers.

"Who's leading them" Tengfeng asked.s and murmured softly to herself, "I really am…" The young doctor nodded firmly in confirmation, “Lady Wang is indeed with child.” Ye Li looked at him and asked, “Do I need any medicine”The young doct...